Combination bulldozer and ripper



March 19, 1946. H, E. McCAULEY COMBINATION BULLDOZER AND RIPPER FiledJuly 10, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

flaaimfha Zey ATTORNEYS March 19, 1946. MccAULEY COMBINATION BULLDOZERAND RIPPER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 10, 1944 Hamh zf/ fizzz/y ATTDRNEYS Patented Mai-.19, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,396,739COMBINATION BULLDOZER AND RIPPER Halpin Edward McCauley, Clifl', N. Mex.Application July 10, 1944, Serial No. 544,222 I (01. 37-145) 13 Claims.

This invention appertains to improvements in earth moving or workingmachines generally, and more particularly to a bulldozer type thereof.

One of the several objects of the invention is to provide a machine ofthis kind with a multiplicity of earth loosening or ripping spikes,which will be automaticall ellective during the movement of the machinein one direction and substantially inefiective during the movement ofthe machine in the opposite direction.

Another object of the invention has to do with the mounting of the earthloosening or ripping spikes in close proximity to the blade of thebulldozer, so that they will operate within a limited area to loosen orrip up hard packed earth extending in the path of the ground grippingtracks and thus reduce the resistance to the blade of the bulldozer inits earth moving operations.

A further object of the invention lies in the provision of novel meansfor mounting the earth loosening r ripping spikes, which admits of theready adjustment and replacement of the spikes and associated parts thatare subject to excessive wear, by the use of simple conventional tools.

With these and other objects and advantages in view, the inventionresides in the certain new and useful combination, construction, andarrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described, setforth in the appended claims, and illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view, showing the relative transverse spacing ofthe earth loosening or ripping spikes along the blade of a conventionalform Of bulldozer;

Figure 2 is an end elevation of the bulldozer blade and a portion of itssupporting structure, showing the manner of mounting the spikesrelatively thereto;

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional detail, taken through the line 3-3 ,ofFigure 2;

Figure 4 is a vertical section, taken through the line 4-4 of Figure 1,showing the manner one of the spikes and its associated guide to theblade of the bulldozer;

Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional detail, taken through the line 5-5 ofFigure 4;

Figure 6 is a sectional detail similar to that of Figure 5, but takenthrough the line 66 of Figure 4;

Figure 7 is another taken through the line Figure 8 is an end ment orwasher;

similar sectional detail, 1-! of Figure 2; view of a conical lockeleangled bracket 46,

Figure 9 is a side view of the lock element or washer shown in Figure 8;and

Figure 10 is a view, in three sections, illustrating the operative andinoperative positions of one of the earth loosening or ripping spikes.

Referring to the drawings, wherein like characters of reference denotecorresponding parts in the several views, and more particularly toFigure 1, A, B and C, indicated respectively, the power plant and thetwo ground gripping tracks of a tractor as conventionally used foroperating a bulldozer blade 24, which is carried at the outer ends ofangled metal frame members 20 that project forwardly from opposite sidesof the tractor. The top portion of the blade 24 is given strengthenedsupport from the frame members 20 by diagonal brace members 22, whilethe lower portion of the blade 24 is reinforced by a channel member 26extending lengthwise of its rear side, substantially in line with thepoints of connection of the frame members 20 therewith. The parts A, B,and C, constitute no part of the present invention, except insofar asthey furnish the motive power for the bulldozer operation and, in someinstances, influence the positioning of the spikes during forward andbackward directional movements of the bulldozer.

The embodiment of the invention, as it is exemplified in the drawings,is comprised essentially in a plurality of earth loosening or rippingspikes, six of which are shown for purposes of the present descriptionand are designated 28, 30, 32, 34, 36 and 38, and these are all ofsimilar construction and, in those cases where practical, may beidentical in construction.

As'shown in Figure 1, two of the spikes 28, 38, are each pivotallysupported, as at 40, in an which is secured, as by welding, to one side,preferably the outer side, of one of the diagonal brace members 22.Angled brackets 50 are likewise secured to the sam sides of the framemembers 20 for the securement thereto, as by bolts 52, of reverselyangled ,guide brackets 54, the latter, together with the. brackets 46,having arms 56 and 48, respectively, extending rearwardly in spacedrelation to the opposed sides of the frame members 20 and the bracemembers 22, so that the spikes 28, 38,.may be swung from normal pendentpositions operation to elevated positions of non-use When pendent fromthe pivots 40, the lower portions of the spikes 28, 38, engage with theguide brackets 54, which serve to in their operative positions, with thearms 56 of the same, together with wear plates 58, secured sustain thespikes 1 their inoperative positions,

on the opposed sides of the frame members 20, acting to prevent theirlateral displacement. The pivots 40, as best shown in Figure 3, are eachpreferably in the form of a bolt that is passed through a. brace member22 and a bracket arm '48 and has a nut 42 threaded on its outer endbearing against a split lock element or washer 44, which is preferablyof conical form and is forcibly seated within a similarly shaped recessin the outer face of the bracket arm 48, when the nut is tightened.

The remaining of the earth loosening spikes 30, 32, 34 and 36, aremounted directly on the bulldozer blade 24 and, to such end, each of thespikes has its upper end engaged on a pivot 62 that bridges the gapbetween the parallel arms of a substantially U-shaped bracket 60, whichis secured, as by welding, to the rear side of the blade 24. As shown inFigure l, the spikes are preferably arranged in pairs, one pair to eachside of the vertical center of the blade 24, the spikes 30, 32, on theone hand, and the spikes 34, 36, on the other hand; the spikes of eachpair being disposed in closely spaced relation, one with respect to theother and to and adjacent of the frame members 20. the spacing beingsuch that the spikes 28. 38, when operative. are positioned to breakground sl g tly beyond the outer sides of the paths of travel of thetracks B. C, of the tractor; the spikes 32. 34, to break ground slightlybeyond the inner sides of the track paths: and the spikes 30. 36, theground within the pat s between the outer and inner lines of grounddisturbance.

Associated with each of the s ikes 30. 32. 34 and 36. is a uide bracket68 which is a so substantially U-s aped and is secured. as by bolts Hi.to a metal plate 12. t at is secured. as by weldin to the channel me ber26. at the rear side of the lower portion of the bulldozer blade 24. thelower portions of the s ikes engagin between the arms o these brack ts.when pe dent from the pivots 62. The several bracke s 46. 62, are dis oed in the plane of t e lon it dinal center of the blade 24. and thespikes 3D. 32, 34, and 36, are to be disen aged from the guide brackets68 and swung upwardly on their pivots 62, after the manner of the spikes28, 38, on the pivots 40, to positions of rest on the top edge of theblade 24, during the non-working travel of the bulldozer.

Each of the pivots 52 takes the form of a headed bolt'that is mounted insplit lock elements or washers 64, which are seated within recessesformed in the outer faces of the parallel arms of a bracket 60 and thesegrip the bolt to prevent its turning when subjected to the tightening uppressure of a nut 66 threaded on the unheaded end of the bolt. Theselock elements or washers 64 are made to the same conical form as that ofthe elements or Washers 44 associated with the pivot bolts 40.

To retain the several spikes 28 through. 38 in suitable latching devicesare provided and each of the same preferably takes the form of a lengthof chain 14. that has its ends engaged with a pair of eyes 16, which arespacedly mounted on a supporting bracket or plate 18 secured, as bywelding, to the blade 24, above the brackets 45, 52. As shown, the lowerends of the spikes are downwardly and rearwardly curved and also taperedsubstantially to a knife edge.

In operation, during th non-working travel of the bulldozer, the severalspikes 28 through 38 will be latched by the chains 14 at theirinoperative positions as shown in the right hand view of Figure 10. Whenthe bulldozer is put to work, the spikes are released from the chains 14and lowered to the positions as shown in the middle view of Figure 10.During any forward travel of the bulldozer, the dozer blade 24 willperform its conventional function without any work performance on thepart of the spikes, which continue in the trailing positions. However,during any rearward movement of the bulldozer, the spikes, by reason oftheir pointed ends and angle of contact with the ground, areautomatically forced into a ground digging position, as shown in theleft hand view of Figure 10, where they will be held by the weight ofthe dozer blade assembly, thus causing the earth to be loosened andbroken up, throughout continued rearward movement of the bulldozer. Theloosening of the ground in this manner obviously reduces resistance tothe subsequent forward movement of the dozer blade 24, and permits ofthe movement of a materially increased volume of earth, with anaccompanying speeding up of bulldozer operation.

Without further description, it is thought that the advantages to be hadfrom the disclosed embodiments of my invention will be apparent to thoseskilled in the art and, also, it is to be understood that the number ofearth loosening or ripping spikes to be used in combination with anyparticular dozer blade will be governed materially by its overalllength, while the exact location of the spikes will be determinedsomewhat by the manner in which the dozer blade is supported from atractor. It is to be further understood that any and all changes inform, construction and arran ement of parts, to which my invention issusceptible, may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit ofthe invention, or its scope as claimed.

WhatIclaimis:

1. In a. ground moving machine, the combination with a frame having aground engaging blade carried at the end of said frame, of groundengaging spikes pivotally mounted adjacent said blade and on said frame,said spikes being pivotally mounted on the inside of said frame to saidblade and on the outside of said frame to reinforcing arms secured'tosaid blade and said frame, said spikes being adapted to have grounddigging engagement with the ground'upon rearward movement of the bladebut trailing upon the ground during forward movement of the blade, andmeans for restraining the spikes from lateral deflection.

2. In a bulldozer, the combination with a blade, ground engagingscarifiers pivotally mounted on said blade, said scarifiers beingadapted to have ground digging engagement with the ground upon rearwardmovement of said blade but trailing upon the ground during forwardmovement of the blade, and guides mounted on said blad for restrainingsaid scarifiers from lateral deflection.

v3. The invention as in attached to the rear face of said blade, andpivot means connecting the scarifiers with said brackets.

4. The invention as in claim 2, with brackets attached to the rear faceof said blade, and the pivots for said scarifiers are carried by thebrackets. 1

5. The invention as in claim 2, with brackets attached to the rear faceof said blade, and the pivots for said scarifiers are mounted in saidclaim 2, with brackets;

brackets, and a wear means is mounted on the rear face of said blade tobe engaged by said scarifiers.

6. The invention as in claim 1, with a wear plate interposed betweensaid blade and the spike restraining means.

7. The invention as in claim 1, with means for latching said scarifiersin inoperative positions.

8. The invention as in claim 1, with a chain latching means for securingeach of said scarifiers in inoperative positions.

9. The invention as in claim 1, with angled brackets welded to saidblade and having openings, said scarifiers having openings co-axial withthe openings in said brackets, bolts extending through the respectivelyaligned openings to pivotally connect the scarifiers with the brackets.and split locking elements on said bolts and engaging the walls of thopenings in their respective brackets to frictionally secure the boltsagainst rotation.

10. In a bulldozer, the combination with a frame having a groundengaging blade carried at the end of said frame, outside and insideground working spikes, the outside spikes being located on the ends ofsaid frame and near the rear ends of the blade and pivoted toreinforcing arms secured to said blade and said frame, means pivotallymounting the inside spikes rearwardly of and close to the blade forforward and rearward movement with relation to the blade, and means forlimiting the forward movement of the spikes to dispose the same insubstantially vertical ground engaging positions during rearward travelof the bulldozer, said spikes trailing on the ground during the forwardtravel of the bulldozer.

11. In a bulldozer, the combination with the ground engaging blade,frame members carrying the blade, outside and inside ground workingspikes, the inside spikes being located between the frame members andthe outside spikes outwardly of the frame members, reinforcing armssecured to said blade and said frame, adapted to pivotally 'mount theoutside spikes thereon, means pivotally mounting the inside spikes onsaid blade for forward and rearward movement relatively to the blade,and means carried by the frame members and the blade for limiting theforward movement of the spikes with relation to the blade.

12. The invention as described in claim 2, wherein means is provided forlimiting the forward movement of the scarifiers with relation to theblade.

13. The invention as described in claim 2,

wherein the scarifiers are longer than the distance between said pivotmount and the lower edge of the blade and have rearwardly curved lowerends, and means positioned above said curved edg for limiting theforward movement 30 of the scarifiers with relation to the blade.

HALPIN EDWARD MCCAULEY.

